The Book Thief by Markus Zusak has multiple themes throughout the novel. One theme that struck out the most with me is the power that words have upon us. Liesel, the main character of the novel, learns that words hold great power to force people to commit cruel acts. She is a young, illiterate girl and learns to read for the first time at the age of 9. As she begins to read and learn, she understands that the roots of Hitler's power comes from propaganda. Max, the jewish man hiding in their basement gives the greatest gift to liesel. He gives her words in the form of the “The Word Shaker” the story he writes for her. In his story he teaches her the great amount of force words have, indicating that hitler uses words and propaganda instead of …show more content…
She comforts her neighbors with her words and stories during air raids. Liesel ends up taking an empty book and writes the story of her life, ending with the line “I have hated the words and i have loved, and I hope I have made them right.” This line sparks liesel's realization of the manipulative power of words and pushes her to write for compassionate use and make words “right”. Although the novel does not portray the importance of words deeply, it makes it clear that words can spread ideas and suggests that power can be dangerous.The Holocaust is a war fought with words. It relies on mass communication to spread hatred across the country. Max explains to liesel in his story that hitler uses his words to conquer the world. We see that statement clearly from hitler's control of causing great suffering. The book burning liesel witnesses also raises an idea. An idea that keeps people away from certain ideas and thoughts by burning …show more content…
In the real world we struggle with the effects of words and how to use them correctly. Now of course the effects are not as deadly as it was in World War 2 but it sure does put someone in a suffering state. The words important leaders and politicians say can change someone's view or even persuade them. Not only in the political world but also in society.Words can easily force someone to do something when they're not in the right state of mind. Everyday we face hurtful and manipulative words that can either end a humans life or start a war. For an example, a few countries do not allow women to be educated. They fear they will be stronger and more superior to men. This connects to Hitler's book burning in the novel. He fears his people will read and begin to develop ideas other than his. He fears the jews will be superior to him. Liesel starts out not knowing how to read. As she begins to read and understand, she starts to realize the effect of words others have. She learns the truth about everything around her. To be able to understand something, you must look into it and learn. See a different way in the words. The book Thief focuses on using language to heal and fight against injustice. It expresses a belief to make a positive difference in the world. The novel shows us the best and worst ways words can be used with a little german words and phrases that helps us feel the friendliness that language can show.
“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.” (Ziglar) In The Book Thief, Liesel uses the power of words to positively influence how people feel. This can be seen through Liesel’s interactions with Max throughout the novel. Similarly, the story of “The Word Shaker” shows the powerful influence of words both good and bad. Finally, Liesel’s interactions with Max, provide yet another example of how words can make a positive impact on another person. The positive effect of words can be seen through the actions of Liesel’s character in “The Word Shaker”. However, words can also be used in a negative way in like in“The Word Shaker” when Max is trembling at the words of Mein Kampf and when in “The Word Shaker
Reflection: The Book Thief contains many important concepts, but three of them play major roles in developing the characters and creating themes. One key concept discusses the power and significance of words. As seen in the novel, words can be used to influence people in negative and positive ways. For example, reading and writing save the lives of Hans, Max, and Liesel in the form of letters, a copy of MKPF, and Liesel’s life story. On the other hand, Hitler uses words to encourage the German people to hunt down and kill Jewish people. This shows how words can kill people and save people’s lives. Another important concept in The Book Thief is that life is unpredictable, and it can’t be meticulously planned out. Fate and chance will make a difference. This is shown when Hans switches seats with Reinhold Zucker in the military vehicle. Neither of them knows that the bus will crash, and the person in that seat will be killed. But fate isn’t tested, so Hans’s life is spared, and Zucker’s life is taken away. The last major concept, and perhaps the most important, is used as the framework for one of the most crucial themes. It is that humanity displays its duality in extreme ways. From Hans risking his life to give a piece of bread to a frail, old man, to Hitler killing six million Jews in cold blood, humans are capable of the amazingly kind and the incredibly
“The Book Thief” is a novel and film about a girl who survives death during WW2 and how words became very important to her life. Liesel Meminger was brought to her foster home unable to read. Her foster father, Hans, finds out she can’t read and helps teaches her German. Liesel then falls in love with words and uses them to write her story.The theme “power of words” is displayed in the novel and film equally. Three ways the power of words were shown was by making an emotional connection with the audience, influencing people to do something, and creating unlikely friendships.
One way words are powerful is because of their influence. When Max thinks of a fight with Hitler, he images Adolf stopping and making a speech ending in “‘Will you climb in here so that we can defeat this enemy together?’ In the basement of 33 Himmel Street, Max Vandenburg could feel the fists of an entire nation”. In this section of the speech, it is shown that a person could defeat enemies and win competitions simply by using words. With words, an entire nation can be influenced to accomplish anything, and in this case, it was beating the Jews and (more specifically) Max so that he bleed and suffered. Yet Liesel, just a small girl, does not follow Hitler and gives him a crossword, telling him it is empty. Through her words,
Words were what started the roller coaster of emotion Liesel had been thrown on when she was nine years old. Without them I don't know where she would be, but I doubt she'd have ever lived and played soccer on Himmel Street. And, although words have been the cause of her pain and suffering, they have been her source of comfort, too. Whether they were written by Mattheus Ottleberg, Adolf Hitler, Max Vandenburg, or herself, words carry immeasurable value and impact. When written by Hitler, words have been the source of ruthless violence and chaos, and helped start a war that was the basis of our story. In The Word Shaker, Max shares his knowledge of the power of words, and how, depending on their user's intentions, they can have a heavily negative or positive impact. This quote shows Liesel's comprehension of the power of words, and when she says "I hope I have made them right," it is clear that she intends to use words so they will have a positive
Words, something we blindly hear, listen and feel. Humans do not think twice of the harm or good doing power they possess. In the novel, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, shows how words can give the characters such robustness during the war. As well as how strong they use their words so they can get out of difficult situations. Adolf Hitler, Max Vandenburg, and Liesel Meminger are characters that hold power throughout the novel in both positive and negative ways.
Words have a power that is impossible to define, yet in every corner of people's lives. Words are the main focus of a book by a man named Markus Zusak set in Nazi Germany. This novel, The Book Thief, is about a young German girl by the name of Liesel but is set from the perspective of the narrator who is death personified. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the power of words is a recurring theme that can be represented by Hans Hubermann surviving both world wars due to words, Hitler taking over Germany with words, and Liesel obtaining the ability to be free and the ability to be a better, more powerful version of herself through words. Firstly, Hans Hubermann exemplifies the power of words by showing their ability to save lives.
Words are everywhere, words make up books, and the power of words make The Book Thief which will never be able to be improved upon. Words help us communicate with others, but mainly they have positive and negative sides to them. In the novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Death narrates the story while Liesel Meminger also tells her story of living in Nazi, Germany. We will discuss how there are many people such as Max Vandenburg and Liesel Meminger who choose to use to use their power of words in the positive way. We will also discuss how people also like to use their power of words in the negative way such as Adolf Hitler. The power of words are very effective especially in Markus Zusak’s writing, and we’ll discuss the main parts of the book which have been effected with the power of words.
This is one quote that has words that positively impacted Liesel. It’s from the lecture that Hans gave to Liesel telling her about Max. On page 203, Hans says to Liesel, “‘If you tell anyone about that man..’ Her teacher. Rudy. It didn’t matter whom. What mattered was that they were all punishable. ‘For starters,’ he said, ‘I will take each and every one of your books-and I’ll burn them.’ It was callous. ‘I’ll throw them in the stove or the fireplace.’ The shock made a hole in her, very neat, very precise. Tears welled. ‘Yes, Papa’”(page 203-204). This quote positively impacted Liesel. Although it may look like this would have negatively impacted her, when she got her lecture, she ended up not telling anyone about the Jew in her basement. She kept her family, Max, and herself out of danger because she didn’t tell anyone. Max was kept safe and hidden for that period of time. The words in this quote negatively impacted Liesel. On page 115, Liesel is talking to her father. She states, “‘I knew it.’ The words were thrown at the steps and Liesel could feel the slush of anger stirring hotly in her stomach. ‘I hate the Führer,’ She said, ‘I hate him’ (page 115). When Liesel said that she hated the Führer, she put her family and Max, as well as herself, at risk. If anyone had heard her, they’d all probably be dead. It also resulted in her getting slapped by Hans. Hans then told her she could say that in the house
Words can influence the mind in many ways that thought may not be able to. They are carefully placed and shared in different ways by each and every individual. Words have powerful impacts and can majorly impact how one may think, feel, or even lead others to feel. Written by Markus Zusak, “The Book Thief” describes a story of an innocent foster girl, Liesel Meminger, who resides in Munich, Germany at one of the most troubling time periods in history, Nazi Germany. A tale narrated by the one and only Death himself, shows the perspective from his point of view, as well as others, describing how Liesel had been seized away from her birth mother at a young age, and put into a foster family. Her new family, the Hubermanns. As she matures and grows into a more critical thinker, understanding and analyzing everything that carefully happens around her. Her foster-father, Hans guides her and teaches her how to read, which little does she know sparks her journey, the art of stealing books. Liesel soon discovers that words aren 't simply lines on a page, they are strong emotions packed into a form that merely is held in her delicate hands. Not only did she hold the pages of emotion, she held a power, a dangerous weapon of words, a weapon of control, and every book that she had stolen was giving her unimaginable power that made her think in ways that she would’ve never thought she could have. As with Nazi propaganda, and a gift that enabled her to broaden her worldview. Liesel evolves
The Book Thief is set in the time of World War 2 where the Holocaust is present and disaster is everywhere. Throughout the story, Liesel, the main character, learns that words are extremely powerful and hold the ability for people to use them for good or for evil. Among the disaster and altercations, Liesel uses her literature to comfort her and make herself more powerful due to her knowledge, which demonstrates the theme of the story, the comfort and power of literature and words softens the pain of loss.
The Book Thief, written by Australian novelist Markus Zusak, follows a young girl living in Nazi Germany, and employs innovative techniques to convey the central idea of the extremes of human behavior. This central idea was explored through stylistic techniques and conventions such as Death as the narrator, juxtaposition, irony, lack of chronological order, narrative voices, and themes, namely the power of words.
"Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble." (Economy). Consequently, this quote exemplifies the illustrious meaning of words being so powerful that they will never be forgotten and only be remembered by those that they affect most. Words give us the power to communicate and explain our thoughts, which can affect change on others in the society. Therefore, they are not as influential and manipulative as they seem to be. In the novel, The Book Thief, power of words are used as emotion, influential, and building knowledge.
Words are more influential than thought. Words can have such a powerful impact on how you interpret things, how you feel, and how you can make others feel as well. The word choice used in The Book Thief demonstrates many themes throughout such as death, friendship, guilt, reason, and the struggle between ones inner self and the society in which he is surrounded. As complex as this may sound, the method was used in a simplistic fashion to construct the meaning and details of certain situations through the senses that ultimately capture how the characters take in the world around them. The power of words in the novel The Book Thief is used to control individuals and gain power if rooted from bad intentions; however, the power of words also
The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak shows how the impact on the power of language has on Liesel Meimeger through the structure of the novel. The structure of the novel shows the development of the character Liesel, highlighting the impact of the power of language. In her development, she finds the ability to express herself as well as to connect to others. Books become a comfort to her and heal her, they help her grow strong relationships with other characters in her life. However, she also sees the damage words have caused through Nazi propaganda, understanding that Hitler 's words have been the cause of suffering of the people in her life. Despite this, the structure of the novel shows the ability of the character to understand that